A hybrid vehicle typically includes a hybrid powertrain comprising an engine and an electric motor. Depending on the specific configuration of the hybrid powertrain, one or both of the engine and the electric motor are configured to generate propulsive torque. Conditions may arise where torque output of the hybrid powertrain needs to be disabled for safety reasons. A hardware shutoff line is typically utilized by a control system to disable the torque output of the hybrid powertrain. If the integrity of the hardware shutoff line is compromised, however, the controller will potentially be unable to disable the hybrid powertrain torque output. Accordingly, while such hybrid vehicle control systems work well for their intended purpose, there remains a need for improvement in the relevant art.